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N0. 608,669. Patented Aug. 9, |898. J. W. GRAVES.

COTTUN PRESS.

(Application mea Feb. 25, 189s.)

(No Model.)

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Patentod Aug. 9, |898 J. W. GRAVES.

COTTON PRESS.

(Application tiled Feb. 25, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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Patented Aug. 9, |898. J. W. GRAVES. COTTON PRESS. (Application filed Feb. 25, 1898.)

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No. 608,669. Patented Aug. 9, |893. .1. w. GRAVES.

BUTTON PRESS.

(Application led Feb. 25, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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rIOllN XV. GRAVES, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE AMERICAN COTTON COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COTTONMPRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent' No. 608,669, dated. August 9, 189e. zippiaaionuea rumryr 25,1898. semina 671,679. (No man.)

To au whom t may concern/.-

Be it known that LJor-IN WfGRAvEs, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Little Rock, in the countyof .Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Presses, (Case E,) of which the following is a specification.:

My invention relates to various new and useful improvements in those cottonpresses designed for making bales cylindrical in shape by eonvolutionally winding a continuous sheet or bat in layers around a spindle or core.

The objects of my invention are to provide and produce improved driving mechanism for a cotton-press of the type referred to employing two movable compression or baling rolls working on opposite sides of a relatively-fixed core and to provide tension-producing mechanism for resisting the separation of such rolls as the cotton accumulates on said core;

In order that my said invention may be better understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation from the driving side of the machine; Fig. 2, a similar View from theother side of the machine; Fig. 8, a plan View; Fig. d, a section on the line et 4 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 a-rear view.' y v In all of 'the above views' corresponding parts are represented by the samenumerals of reference.

1 1 represent the side frames of the machine, each of which may be a single casting secured to suitable foundation beams or skids 2 2. The side frames 1 are connected together by suitable cross-beams 3, arranged in any suitable Way. 1

4: is a core mounted centrally in the inachine, so as to rotate with the forming bale, but held against lateral movements. In the present instance this core is provided at each end witha socket, into which is received a spindle 5, carried on a screw-shaft 6. The said shaft at each side of the machine is cai ried in a rotatable bearing-box 7, mounted in the side frames. Each bearing-box 7 is pref erably formed withan enlarged disk 8 there# on for guiding the cotton and for building up the ends of the bale, as is common.

In order to release the core 4, the screwshafts 6 are rotated, so as to withdraw the spindles 5 from thesockets in the end of the core, as will be understood.` 9 and 10 represent cylindrical baling-rolls mounted on each side of the core 4 and cooperating therewith, so as to wind the sheet or bat in convolution-al layers on'said core. The shaft 11 of each of these rolls is carried in suitable bearing-boxes 12, movable in slots 13, formed in the side frames 1 of the machine in line with the core 4, whereby as the cotton accumulates on said core the rolls will separate, the boxes 12 movn ing in the slots 13, and thereby allowing for this separation. In order to rotate the balingrolls, Iprefer to employ a novel form of wormgearing by which the lateral movements of the baling-rolls will be permitted without affecting the rotation thereof.

14 represents a main driving-shaftmounted insuitable boxes 15, suitable provision being made in one or all of said boxes to receive the end thrust of said shaft.

Rigidly keyed to the shaft 1l of each baling-roll is a worm-gear 16, which gears engage with and are driven by elongated worms 17 011 the main driving-shaft 14. Power is applied to said shaft by a suitable pulley 18, by which said shaft will be driven, so as to rotate thc Worm-gears 1G, and thereby drive the balingrolls in the same direction and with the same peripheral speed. By employing two elongated worms cooperating with two laterallymovable baling-rolls the said rolls will be allowed to separate with the enlarging bale, since the worm-gears 1G will move backward on the elongated worms 17, as will be understood.

In order to apply tension to the baling-rolls 9 and 10, so as to resist the separation of suoli rolls with the enlarging bale, I employa tension-producing shaft 19 at each side of the machine. Each of said shafts is carried in suitable bearing-boxes 2O and extends parallel with the slots 13 13 in the side frames of the machine. On each end of each of the shafts 11 is loosely carried a nut 21, which engages with a screw 22 on the shaft 19. These screws are oppositely arranged at each side of the machine-71. e., one isright-handed and the other is left-handedwhercby the movement IOO of the nuts carried by the shaft of the baling roll 9 will effect the same direction of rotation of the shafts I9 as the movement in the opposite direction of the nuts carried by the shaft of the baling-roll 10. The resistance of the shaftsl9 to the turning influence of the nuts 2l, working on the screws 22, provides for the imposition of the necessary pressure upon the baling-rolls; but, if desired, a positive resisting device, such as a brake, may be applied to one or both of the shafts 19 to increase the tension.

In order to produce simultaneous rotation of the shafts 19, I prefer to connect them together by an ordinary sprocket-chain 23, and in order to return the baling-rolls 9 and 10 to their original positions into contact with the core 4 one of the tension-producin g shafts may be provided with a suitable pulley-wheel 24 thereon, to which power may be applied for this purpose.

The operation of my improved cotton-press is as follows: At the starting of the operation the baling-rolls 9 and l0 are brought into contact with the core 4, which is supported on the spindles 5 of the screw-threaded shafts 6. Poweris applied to the pulley-wheellS, so as to rotate the shaft l4,and thereby,through the worm-gearing, to drive the baling-rolls 9 and lO in the same direction and with the same peripheral speed. A sheet or bat of cotton is now fed to the core 4 and will be wound up thereon in convolutional layers in the wellknown way. As the cotton accumulates on said core the baling-rolls 9 and l0 will be separated, and this separation will be resisted by the movement of the nuts 2l in rotating the shafts l). Vhen the bale is nished, the supply of cotton is cut off and the bale covered by a suitable wrapping material, after which the core is released by withdrawing the screwthreaded shafts 6, and the bale will drop out of the machine by its weight. A new core is now applied in place, and power being applied to the pulley-wheel 24 the tension-producing shafts 19 will be driven in the opposite direction, thereby returning the balingrolls to their original positions in contact with the core, and the press will then be in condition for the starting of a new bale.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent, is as follows:

l. In a cotton-press, the combination of a core mounted in stationary boxes, two balingrolls oppositely disposed with relation to said core and mounted in movable bearing-blocks,

thereof in movable bearingboxes, a nut loosely mounted on each end of the shaft of the second baling-roll, and tension-producing shafts having screws thereon with which said nuts cooperate, substantially as set forth.-

3. In a cotton-press, the colnbination of a baling-roll, a core mounted adjacent to said baling-roll, a second baling-roll cooperating with said core and mounted on the other side thereof in movable bearingboxes, a nut loosely mounted on each end of the shaft of the second baling roll, tension producing shafts having screws thereon with which said nuts cooperate, and means for causing said tension-producing shafts to rotate simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

4. In a cotton-press, the combination of a baling-roll, a core mounted adjacent to said baling-roll, a second baling-roll cooperating with said core and mounted on the other side thereof in movable bearing boxes, a nut loosely mounted on each end of the shaft of the second baling roll, tension producing shafts having screws thereon with which said nuts cooperate, and a sprocket-chain connecting said shafts, whereby the same will rotate simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

5. In a cotton-press, the combination of a baling-roll, a core mounted adjacent to said baling-roll, a second baling-roll cooperating with said core and mounted on the other side j thereof in movable bearing boxes, a nut loosely mounted on each end of the shaft of the second baling roll, tension producing shafts having screws thereon with which said nuts cooperate, and means for reversely rotating said shafts, substantially as set forth.

(i. In a cotton-press, the combination of a baling-roll, a core mounted adjacent to said baling-roll, a second baling-roll cooperating with said core and mounted on the other side thereof in movable bearing boxes, a nut loosely mounted on each end of the shaft of the second baling roll, tension producing shafts having screws thereon with which said nuts cooperate, means for causing said tension-producing shafts to rotate simultaneously, and a pulley-wheel connected to one of said shafts for reversely rotating the same, substantially as set forth.

7. In a cotton-press, the combination with a core mounted in stationary bearing-boxes, of two baling-rolls cooperating with said core and mounted in movable bearing-boxes, a nut loosely mounted on each end of the shaft of each of said baling-rolls, two tension-produc ing shafts, and screws on said tension-producing shafts with which said nuts cooperate, substantially as set forth.

S. In a cotton-press, the combination with a core mounted in stationary bearingboxes, of two baling-rolls cooperating with said core and mounted in movable bearing-boxes, a nut loosely mounted on each end of the shaft of each of said baling-rolls, two tension-producing shafts, screws on said tension-producing shafts with which said nuts coopeate, and

IOO

IIO

:means for causing said tension-producing Io dueing shafts, screws on said tension-producing shafts with which said nuts cooperate, and :L sprocket-chain connecting said tensionprodueing shafts, whereby they will be simultaneously rotated, substantially es set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 15 12th day of February, 1898.

JOHN W. GRAVES. Vitnesses: i

FRANK L. DYER, LEONARD HUNTRESS DYER. 

